Ronan Maher
By Jackie Cahill
Tipperary centre-back Ronan Maher has come a long way in two years.
The Thurles Sarsfields bulwark, younger brother of half-back line colleague Pádraic, was handed a full championship debut against Galway in the 2014 All-Ireland qualifier at Semple Stadium.
It was a baptism of fire for Maher and he was whipped off at half-time. But he learned some valuable lessons and came back a better and more mentally strong player last year.
Maher (20) was a 2015 championship ever-present and one of Tipp’s leading lights in this year’s Allianz League campaign. A string of fine performances at centre back saw him slot neatly into the central role, having occupied a wing-back position last year.
He’s following in a long line of storied Tipp centre backs and is now making the position very much his own. Maher was excellent against Cork and Limerick in the Munster quarter and semi-finals and will be a key figure against Waterford on Sunday as Tipp aim to retain their provincial crown.
“There’s a massive amount of players that played in that jersey like Conor O’Mahony," says Maher. “Thankfully I have settled into that jersey. I have had a few games there in the League and two championship games under my belt in that position, and felt comfortable enough there with the boys at the back. We are all working together as a unit to do our best for the team and I have settled in and hopefully it continues.”
Being withdrawn in your first championship game is the type of experience that could break a lesser player. But Maher reflects on it now in philosophical manner and as he’s still a very young player, he made a vow to himself that he would bounce back positively.
“When you are that age you think about getting games," he says. "That day didn’t go too well for me but I wouldn’t let it get it on top of me. If you do let it get on top of you, there is a lot of pressure.
“I go out and play game by game and try and get a good performance and do everything that needs be to try and help the team. That’s what I have been trying to do and I hope it continues.”
Ronan Maher
Depending on where Austin Gleeson lines up for Waterford, it could be a direct clash between two of the best young players in the game. Gleeson’s played in a deep role at times for the Déise this year but also further forward, in the half and full-forward lines.
“I wouldn’t be just concentrating on him," says Maher. "Their forwards are very strong, well capable of putting the ball over the bar. You can’t just go out and mark one player. They are all excellent hurlers and they have huge passion coming from the line in Dan (Shanahan) and the likes.
“Whoever comes your way you have to go out and mark him and try and beat them and win the 50-50 ball. We have huge respect for Waterford and the way they play. It’s obvious its working very well for them.
"A lot of their players have played (the system) with De La Salle College so they are used to it. It’s hard to know what they will do if they are in a situation when we are two or three points up. They probably will push on.”
Waterford will ask plenty of questions about this Tipperary team on Sunday, Maher suspects. They’re in a better place than last year, when Tipp had home advantage for a Munster final in Thurles, and claimed an impressive provincial semi-final victory over Clare.
But Maher is confident that Tipp can adapt to whatever is thrown at them, and is an ideal position to monitor how Waterford play.
"You are in the centre and can control a lot of things around you," he says. “We are all capable of playing in that position. We switch around at training. There is plenty movement now especially with the likes of Waterford and the game they play involves a lot of movement with their sweeper system.
“You are not really set to any position and you have to be able to play in all of those roles. Being an inter-county player, you have to be able to adapt to those things on the day. With the sweeper system they play, you could be playing in any position and playing on anybody and that can change on the day.
“Last year in the Munster final they played the same and we dealt with that but they overcame us in the League by a point so we will be hungry in the final and trying to get a victory over them again.”
